Hair curler



NOV. 3, 1942. i F C, WALLACE 2,300,637

HAIR CURLER Filed Nov. 25, 1941 Patented Nov. 3, 1942 HAIR CURLER,

Frank O. Wallace, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Monogram Manufacturing Co., Calif., a corporation of California Los Angeles,

Application November 25, 1941, Serial No. 420,379

6 Cilaims.

This invention has to do with hair curlers and, in its more particular aspects, relates to curlers on which the curl is Wound and held until the curl dries or sets. In a broader aspect, however, my invention contemplates improved means in combination with any curling mandrel for eiciently winding the curl around the mandrel.

It is a shortcoming of prior art curlers that, in winding the curl on the mandrel, the operator, after making one turn of the mandrel, has to release the firm grip thereon to shift the hand in preparation for making the next subsequent .rotation of the mandrel, which often resultsl in slippage and a relatively loosely wound curl. Furthermore, in the use of conventional curlers, it requires a relatively long time and tiring physical effort to Wind the curl on the mandrel.

Also the use of curlers of the type which remain in the dampened curl while the curl is drying or setting, each user must necessarily' ernploy a curler for each curl, thus requiring a relatively large number of curlers. Consequently, such curlers must be capable of being produced at very low cost. While such relatively cheap curlers are well known on the market, it is well known that they are made of materials and in a manner which present relatively slidable parts to catch on the hair and rough edges and projections which break the hair strands. Furthermore, such curlers, for efficient operation, require ideal ventilation to permit free circulation of air through the curler and hair wound thereon and in many respects the conventional curlers lack this desirable quality.

It is therefore among the objects of my invention to provide a hair curler in which novel and efficient means for winding the curl are embodied.

Another object is the provision of a curler having efficient Ventilating means.

Another object is the provision of a curler in which there is an absence of rough edges and projections and relatively slidable parts which might catch or break the hair.

Another object is the provision of a hair curler which is simple in operation and economical of manufacture.

How I achieve these objects as Well as further objects and advantages which will hereinafter appear, will be best understood from the following detailed description of a presently preferred adaptation thereof, for which purpose I shall refer to the accompanying drawing', in which:

Fig. 1 is aplan view;

- Fig; 2' is a plansection partly inelevation;

cross-section on line 4-4 tions 6 through itsv side wall for the purpose of- I rind Ventilating a curl wound there'around. that by making the mandrel 5 of a plastic ornonmetallic material I eliminate thev liability of breaking the hair strands by eliminating the presence of rough surfaces and microscopic projections such as often result from use of yperforated metal curlers. Mandrel 5 is open at `its outer end 'I and its inner end 8. Around the inner surface of end 8, I provide a circumferential row of ratchet teeth 9.

For the purpose of clamping the initial strand of hair against the curling mandrel preparatory to and during winding, I provide a clamping jaw I Il perforated at II and having a yoke portion I2 at its inner end. Each of the legs I`2a ofthe yoke carries an inwardly disposed Ytrunnion I5, which trunnions rotatably fit into diametrically opposite holes I6 provided through the sidewall of the mandrel adjacent end 8. These trunnions provide a pivotal connection of the jaw Ill to the mandrel so that the arm may be swung away from the mandrel to insert the initial hair strand and then swung back against the mandrel whereby to clamp the strand between the jaw and mandrel. Jaw I Il is also preferably of a plastic or non-metallic material for the purposes heretofore described and the legs I2a are sufficiently resilient to permit them to be exed apart to insert the trunnions I5 into ther holes I6 and to thereafte resiliently hold them in that position.

In the end Y8 of the mandrel, I rotatably mount a tubular insert'Z which has diametrically opposite holes 2| through its side Wall fo-r'th'e purpose of rotatably mounting one end of the looped curl retaining member 22, that portion of'the retaining member between ther side walls of the insert being deformed at 23 to prevent sliding movement thereof. The opposite free ends of the retaining member 22 pass through diametrically opposite holes 25a provided in a-circular anchor ring 25 and are flattened at 25 to prevent longitudinal escape from the holes. As theretaining member emerges from the holes 25a it curves .backwardly towards the opposite end of the mandrel and thence is bowed outwardly'. The flattened` ends 26 and the saidl backward end of the bore of the mandrel, being resiliently held in that position by the retaining member 22 until manually disengaged. The central hole 25e through the anchor ring permits air to pass into and out of the mandrel interior.

Insert 20, in addition to serving as a mount# ing for the retaining loop, serves the purpose of providing means for rotating the mandrel to wind the curl therearound after the initial strand is clamped between the jaw I and the mandrel, the insert having a longitudinally disposed radially projecting rib or detent 30 presenting. a beveled side surface 38aand a relatively straight opposite side surface 39h. The detent engages the teeth 9 to rotate the mandrel when the insert is rotated clockwise, and when the insert is rotated in the opposite direction, the detent resiliently slips back over the teeth without rotating the mandrel. During this ratch- .et operation the retaining member 22 is used as a handle or crank for the insert when swung into the dotted line position denoted 22a in Figi.

.'Io facilitate the ratchet operation of the detent AI make the insert of a material having sufficientA resiliency, such as plastic, and provide diametrically opposite V-shaped slots 35 in its side walls, which slots extend inwardly to intersect the holes 2|.- These slots permit the opposite segments of the insert to be resiliently iiexed together to allow the detent to disengagefrom the teeth 9 during the ratchet action. The end of the insert inside, the mandrel is provided with flanges a which 'bear against the inner ends of the teeth 9 to prevent outward escape of the insert from the mandrel.

In operation, the hair to be curled is rst preferably suitably dampened and the end of the r-strand to be curled is initially clamped between the jaw l0 and the mandrel. During thisl stage of the operation the retaining member 22 is swung into the dotted line position 22a. of Fig. 1. Then the operator loosely grips the mandrel and jaw between two ngers to hold the initial strand in clamped position and to somewhat guide the formation of the curl as well as to hold the mandrel against backward rotative movement during operation of the ratchet mechanism, and with the other 'hand the operator operates the ratchet provided by the detent 3i) and the teeth 9 to rotate the mandrel, thus winding the curl around the mandrel. The retaining member 22 serves as a handle for operating the ratchet. After the curl is thus firmly wound on the mandrel, the retaining member is then swung into the full line position of Fig. 1, longitudinally encirolingthe mandrel, and anchor 25 is anchored in the end 1 of the mandrel. The retaining member thus resiliently holds the curl against unwinding from the mandrel until the curl is dried and fully set. This drying action is facilitate-d by the free circulation of air through the ends of the mandrel and through the perforations. At no time may the retaining member loe subjected to a sliding movement Vwith respect .to the anchor or insert, which such movement might tend to drag a strand of hair into the mounting holes. By making the mandrel 5 and body l0 of a plastic or non-metallic material, I nd that I obtain a curling device free of microscopic projections and rough or cutting surfaces which might tend to break or injure the hair. To remove the curl after it has set, the operator manually disengages the anchor 25 from the mandrel and swings the retaining member into the dotted line position 22a, and then slips the mandrel from the curl.

While I have resorted to considerable detail for the purpose of making my invention understood, I wish it understood that within the broader scope of my invention, as defined by the appended claims, various modifications and adaptations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention,

. I claim:

l. A hair curler comprising, in combination: a mandrel adapted to be rotated to wind a strand of hair therearound, ratchet means operatively associated with the mandrel whereby to rotate the latter upon operation of the ratchet, means for operating the ratchet and a resilient curl retainer pivotally mounted on the last-mentioned means for swinging movement into and out of position longitudinally encircling the mandrel.

2. A hair curler comprising, in combination: a mandrel adapted to be rotated to wind a strand of hair therearound, a ratchet member functionally engaging the mandrel to rotate the latter whereby to wind the strand of hair therearound, means for operating the ratchet member and a resilient curl retainer, said retainer being mounted on and constituting a crank for the ratchet operating means.

3. A hair curling device comprising a tubular curling mandrel presenting in its inner surface a circumferential row of ratchet teeth, an insert rotatably mounted in the mandrel, a detent projecting radially from one side of the insert and engageable against said ratchet teeth upon rotation of the insert in one direction whereby to rotate the mandrel, said insert being longitudinally slotted whereby to permit its opposite sides to be resiliently flexed together to disengage the ldetent from the teeth upon rotation of the insert in the opposite direction.

4, A hair curling device comprising a tubular curling mandrel presenting in its inner surface adjacent 'one end a circumferential row of ratchet teeth, a tubular insert rotatably mounted in said end of the mandrel and projecting therefrom to provide an operating handle, said insert being longitudinally slotted from its inner end towards its outer end whereby to permit its opposite sides to be resiliently flexed together, a rib disposed longitudinally of and projecting radially fromone of the sides of the insert, said rib being engageable against said teeth upon rotation of the insertin one direction and the said opposite sides of the insert being resiliently flexible together to disengage said detent from the teeth upon rotation of the insert in the opposite direction. Y

5.7A hair curling device comprising an elongated perforated tubular mandrel, a resilient curl retaining loop pivotally mounted at one end on the inner end of the mandrel and being swingable into position with its opposite sides disposed longitudinally of the mandrel whereby to retain a curl in position on the mandrel, and means for anchoring the opposite end of the vloop at'the outer end of the mandrel, said last-mentioned means comprising a ring having an annular portion nsertable eoaxially in the outer end of the mandrel.

6. A hair curling device comprising an elongated curling mandrel of circular cross-section adapted to receive a curl Wound therearound, a resilient curl retaining loop pivotally mounted at one end in and extending transversely through the mandrel whereby to be swung into position 10 

